Film Reviews by Steve

The screen version of The Who's concept album is a return to the kitchen sink values of the British New Wave of the early '60s (when the action is set). Phil Daniel is uncanny as a young mod assimilated into the superficial tribal identity, but inside, is all emotion.

There's an unglamorised presentation of working class life, distant from most of the usual chic of the decade, though the teenage mods do long for the elegant materialism that is hoarded elsewhere, and the status which will always remain out of reach.

The narrative, lifted from the impressionistic lyrics of the record, is mostly reportage; the speed and r&b singles, the beach fight, the classic clothes and knee tremblers. But the film fuses with the music brilliantly, cultivating a profound empathy for adolescent yearning.

This stems from Daniel's authentic performance, and Pete Townshend's songs, especially the spiritual ache of I'm One and Love Reign O'er Me. It's among the best films about the brief, tragic metamorphosis that happens between being a teenager and a wage slave.

Uneven Vietnam war picture divided by its two distinct locations and a style which fluctuates between black comedy and war-is-hell realism. The first half is better, as a diverse mob of malleable Marines goes through the dehumanisation of basic training under a grotesquely incompetent officer.

With the insidious brainwashing of the teenage grunts, Stanley Kubrick is back in the mindscape of A Clockwork Orange (1971). These scenes are elevated by outstanding performances from R.Lee Ermey as the sadistic Sergeant, and Vincent D'Onofrio as a bullied recruit who should never have been there.

We then follow a wiseass reporter of government propaganda into action- played by Matthew Modine. These fragmented episodes don't have as much impact, but the primary intent is to explain why so many mentally disturbed men came back from this futile war. And this is its main achievement.

The script is adapted from a novel by a combat veteran (Michael Herr) and has a dreamy, poetic quality. But it looks authentic... even though shot in the UK! It's a key 'Nam war picture, but my feeling is- at least during the re-evaluation of the '80s- it was better when these were made by the survivors.

Hammer's attempt to reboot their Frankenstein series is usually called a comedy, which may be misleading. Really there is just a layer of irony applied to the gothic grotesquery. The story begins again, so the younger Ralph Bates replaces Peter Cushing as Baron, but he's up to the same old tricks.

Bates is actually fine, playing the mad scientist as a decadent feudal aristocrat who likes to swing. Maybe he's a bit crazier than usual, but mainly it would be just weird if Cushing was so sexually switched on.  Plus the leading women are now more ostentatiously cast for their body type...

Though there is no nudity. During the decline of the British film industry, actors took what work was available, so odd things happen like Dennis Price in his sad alcoholic decline is cast next to Jon Finch, soon to play Macbeth for Roman Polanski. Obviously the old souse is much more fun.

This remake might sound like a desperate throw of the dice from a studio on its uppers, but actually it's surprisingly good for an hour, and only drags during the usual rampage towards the end. David Prowse's monster is a skinhead, a feral hooligan. Maybe an attempt at social commentary?

One from Susanne Bier's peak Danish period in the 00s which lost momentum in English language film and tv. After Brothers (2004) she moves further from the style of Dogme 95, though the subject and themes are similar. And this was another critical success which led to an inferior Hollywood remake.

These films- in association with longstanding co-writer Anders Thomas Jensen- typically have highly designed plots which trace connections between the personal and the political. Rooted in the disputes of both the family and global conflict, they dig deep into the personalities and relationships.

This one starts at a wedding, but takes place in the interface between business and humanitarian relief. Mads Mikkelsen plays the identification character, a frontline aid worker in Kolkata. But the protagonist is Rolf Lassgård as a rich businessman who might be interested in becoming a benefactor.

Except... he makes incredible demands. This is about the pressure his manipulative self-interest inflicts upon others, even if most accept it because of his wealth. It isn't the director's best, but is typical of her ultra-intimate approach, with the multilayered performances, and is actually, quietly horrifying.

Clever comic romance which mainly works as a parable for how modernity has squeezed out folklore and the poetry of love. There's a signature Johnny Depp fantasy role, as an ordinary stiff who gets absorbed into the mythology of Don Juan rather than confront complex real life problems.

And he intrigues the lovelorn females of the psychiatric hospital where Marlon Brando treats him for schizophrenic delusions. Except the Byronic dreamer is having more luck re-awakening the shrink's passion for his lovely wife (Faye Dunaway) than accepting he's just a loser from Phoenix, Arizona.

This was developed as an actors' duello between the male stars, but Depp is too beautiful and charismatic not to settle that contest instantly, with a virtuoso performance. Brando is fine and twinkles with elderly charm, but he's so startlingly overweight that it's hard to see beyond his physicality.

Those who like seeing JD play mythic oddballs will love this. Though his comedy Spanish accent is a reminder of his guest spot on The Fast Show. Depp may flourish a sword with zero credibility, but no-one will ever more persuasively portray a crazy misfit who is certain he's a romantic literary legend.

Australian cult favourite which flickers erratically between bad taste (almost gross-out) comedy and sentimental, life-affirming melodrama. The former is more successful with some wit and a few big laughs, though it often appears uncomfortably like we are expected to mock these characters for being ignorant, low class trash.

When the mood gets darker, it seems the plot is merely hitting the standard beats of a feelgood Hollywood narrative arc. It's manipulative, contrived and corny, but what the hell. It surely means well and there is some amusing satirical comedy. And it's carried by a much-loved performance from Toni Collette in the title role.

Muriel begins as a dim bulb fantasist who obsessively plans for the Big Day but without much pragmatism; not so much because she isn't conventionally pretty as she's a borderline psychopath with no self esteem. She packs her taped copy of Abba's Greatest Hits and leaves behind her unsophisticated provincial home and awful family.

Then in Sydney, after some comical misadventures and a few disappointments, she learns crucial life lessons and becomes a bit more normal. Writer-director PJ Hogan spins his own experiences into a conventional coming of age redemption story, though the Aussie locations and cultural observations make it feel more personal. 

The screen version of The Who's concept album is a return to the kitchen sink values of the British New Wave of the early '60s (when the action is set). Phil Daniel is uncanny as a young mod assimilated into the superficial tribal identity, but inside, is all emotion.

There's an unglamorised presentation of working class life, distant from most of the usual chic of the decade, though the teenage mods do long for the elegant materialism that is hoarded elsewhere, and the status which will always remain out of reach.

The narrative, lifted from the impressionistic lyrics of the record, is mostly reportage; the speed and r&b singles, the beach fight, the classic clothes and knee tremblers. But the film fuses with the music brilliantly, cultivating a profound empathy for adolescent yearning.

This stems from Daniel's authentic performance, and Pete Townshend's songs, especially the spiritual ache of I'm One and Love Reign O'er Me. It's among the best films about the brief, tragic metamorphosis that happens between being a teenager and a wage slave. 

The middle part of Richard Linklater's trilogy about the adjustments made in response to the key stages of life- is the best of the three. It catches Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) a decade after Before Sunrise and sets another conversation- in real time- against the allure of Paris in the sunshine. 

And it expresses elegantly and wisely the 30-something condition: when enough experience has accrued to feel meaningful regret; when definitive choices are coupled to last chances to review decisions already made; but with opportunity to change. Still young, but when time first comes to check your pulse..

Linklater captures one of the great screen romances, without even showing a kiss. Prodigious credit is due to the stars who create extraordinary chemistry between their two characters, and also co-wrote the script... which reflects acutely on modern life, as well as growing the will they-won't they suspense.

This is 80 minutes of dialogue, but there are no lulls. Just a developing euphoria driven by the joy that love and providence may bring. A conversation of asides and deviations and obfuscations that leads us to an unresolved cliffhanger of overwhelming emotional intent... I love this film, with all my heart!

The best sci-fi film ever made... Ridley Scott's fusion of Philip K. Dick and Metropolis (1927) is a visual/emotional/ intellectual triumph. No one now will ever create a better non-CGI futureworld on screen. And as well as the astonishing visuals, there is a story of thrilling moral complexity.

Harrison Ford plays the laconic, hardboiled gumshoe who must hunt down and 'retire' four androids... while his mission unexpectedly turns into an investigation into himself. On release it was the neo-noir atmos. and the state of the art production design which was so captivating. 

Plus Rutger Hauer's legendary oration in the rain. Now the the AI paranoia is in focus, and the urban dystopia of a used up/winding down planet. Arguably this is where tech-noir begins and that remains its core appeal, with the genre pessimism, set in a retro-futuristic Los Angeles...

While super wealthy tech bros live aloof from the chaos in skyscrapers! There is action but it's more of a head movie than cyberpunk, made accessible via Ford's beat-up charisma and Vangelis' glistening electronic score. Every version is worth seeing, but the Final Cut (2007) is definitive.

For his debut feature, Ridley Scott says he was influenced by Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975), which is very evident, particularly the interiors. It's a similarly beautiful period drama but tells a much more compelling story which leaves the impression of a tall tale told in a Victorian gentlemen's club, with its themes of manly pursuits....

Though it's taken from an account by Joseph Conrad, loosely based on real life events. Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel play high ranking soldiers in Napoleon's army who for two decades fight a series of duels over spurious provocations, mainly driven by the more bumptious officer- Keitel- with a near infinite capacity to be offended. 

There is no etiquette for the more equitable -Carradine- to honourably decline! Maybe there's a problem apparent here, as neither of the two US actors is an obvious pick as a French Hussar, but the US production company insisted. It's a shame a couple of Frenchmen could not be found... Still, their sword fighting skills are exemplary,

And there's an impressive support cast of British thespians.The story leaves an impression of how the warrior and the pacifist must always live by the rules of the aggressor, which is a human tragedy. And with the gorgeous photography, the set design and costumes and the exquisite locations, this is such a knockout film to look at.

An opening title informs us the year is 1920, and yet this reflects the sort of feudalism which stretches back to the middle ages. Which is presumably a political position taken by Zhang Yimou, and a criticism of Chinese history which might have appealed to the Communist Party...

Instead, they banned it because they felt the unsympathetic patriarch might be assumed to represent the present day government! Which is crazy! Anyway, the malign elder (Wei Li) runs a successful dying business and purchases a beautiful young wife (Gong Li) to provide an heir.

Only he is cruel, and drives her into the arms of his nephew (Baotian Li). So who actually is the father of her little boy? This is romantic melodrama- with supernatural implications- and reminiscent of the postwar cinema of Kenji Mizoguchi... Except for the utterly gorgeous colour process.

Zhang Yimou was a graduate in cinematography and has an artistic feel for composition, plus the spectacular use of light and filters. While this will appeal to fans of melodrama or with an interest in Chinese social history, it's really the exquisite photography* which makes it a heartbreaker.

*please note the current dvd release looks like a transfer from a video cassette cropped for tv use. Plus the sound is poor. All Zhang's early films are overdue restoration and bluray release.

As much an upgrade as a sequel. Mel Gibson returns as the road warrior who patrols the lawless, dystopian highways of the post-apocalypse Australian outback. It adapts a standard western scenario, with Max assisting some broadly peaceful survivors against a feral tribe of badass killers in customised stock cars.

That's if the plot matters. This is more about the action and state of the art stunts. The final third is given over to a cartoonish, Wacky Races style car chase. Maybe this now looks dated, but that's some of the appeal. It hasn't the make-do Ozploitation vibe of Mad Max (1979) as there is money on board from Warner Brothers....

But it still feels distinctively Australian because of the desert locations and eccentric vernacular. The rock score is by Brian May, but it turns out he's an Aussie. The costumes today seem more glam than punk, though Gibson is reasonably iconic in his leathers, as a sort-of mythic man with no name. But called Max...

Most of the violence of the original has been toned down, though the worst is regrettably at the expense of women. Maybe the lack of a decent story is a drag for those not much into grindhouse. This is bubblegum escapism mainly aimed at blokes who like motors, and as far from Hanging Rock as is conceivable.

This fictionalised biopic of Billy the Kid is buffeted between two contrasting influences. It comes at the end of the Hollywood studio system which is evident in the old fashioned country ballad which plays over the opening titles. But there are also indications of the revisionist US westerns to come.

Arthur Penn's debut feature gives us premonitions of the new Hollywood of the '60s, including a brief slo-mo of an outlaw's death. And while the actors are not grizzled, neither do they iron their shirts like Randolph Scott. Plus there's one grotesque closeup that might be from a Spaghetti Western...

James Dean was due to star when he died and it's easy to place this in the mixed-up-teens wave of the '50s; the legendary gunman was killed aged 21. He's played by Paul Newman, aged 33, who is raw but there's curiosity in his awkward method approach. And those eyes make an impact, even in b&w.

It's ultimately just another western about the Lincoln County War- from Gore Vidal's 1955 tv play. There is too much idiotic horseplay and too little iconography or style; while it may have looked cutting edge in '58, its reputation doesn't compare well to what Sergio Leone was soon to do with the genre.

This photogenic WWII biopic takes some time getting Lucie Aubrac into focus, and longer to fully capture the attention. The name belongs to a member of the French Resistance in Lyon and the main events build to her role in rescuing her husband- one of their leaders- from the Gestapo.

And the climax is thrilling. But this was made with Lucie Aubrac's blessing and it suffers from being more of a soft focus hagiography of a hero, rather than digging up some real history. It looks lovely and is sometimes spectacular with its widescreen pictorial of France under occupation. And it is beautifully lit...

But there isn't much about the political schisms within the Partisans, which is crucial to her legacy. Realism is not a priority and at times it feels like it might have been made for Hallmark. The support cast is bloodless and Daniel Auteuil makes little impact as the husband. The Nazi's are 2D sadistic goons...

Or worse... idiots. Still, Carole Bouquet is effective in the title role and the occupation is such an extraordinary time of incredible heroism and heartbreaking betrayal. Eventually it engages, with the escape and her astonishing sangfroid. But it leaves an impression that her courage really deserves a better film.

There's an old ruse that if asked in an interview what is your main weakness, you reply 'I care too much'. Well for the telephone operator in an emergency call centre in this impressive Danish thriller, that flaw is 4real! The harder he tries to help, the further he bends the guidelines, the deeper the hole he's in... And he won't stop digging!

It's a one man show which might easily be done on the radio. Jakob Cedergren plays the demoted police officer who speaks at length to a traumatised mother who appears to have been kidnapped by her violent ex-husband, leaving their two young children unsupervised. The cop has phone-tracking and his law enforcement skills to guide him.

We hear voice actors on the other phones, but Cedergren must absorb our onscreen attention. And this is incredibly suspenseful as the emergency situation gets ever more complex. And the late final twist is devastating, even if- for me at least- it's ultimately disappointing the writers draw on far right conspiracy theories about two tier policing.

But there are other insights, including how impossible is the job and how dedicated and put-upon are the staff. And who doesn't panic over the lack of privacy!? Despite the film being set entirely within two rooms, there's a profound impression of the iniquities of urban life and the horror which settles on those who must deal with the consequences.